France National Library Attacks Google Book Effort

An anonymous reader writes "The National Library of France is not happy with Google's effort to scan and integrate millions of books into its Web search. Jean-Noel Jeanneney, President of the library, wrote in an editorial that he is concerned Google's initiative to digitalize volumes at five leading libraries will reflect a unipolar worldview dominated by the English language and American culture. Jeanneney is pushing for European libraries to follow in Google's footsteps. Google said it was surprised by Jeanneney's remarks and noted, 'This is a first step for us; we can't do everything at once.'"

why does france hate google?

[Anonymous Coward]

i just don't understand why

Couldn't Agree More

[fembots]

When Google first got started in the Yahoo-era, I also wrote an editorial about how little result Google gave back in 1999, I almost gave up on it.

Silly Jean-Noel Jeanneney

[elasticwings]

Doesn't he realize that English is the only language that matters? :P

BSD meets French language and culture....

[gatkinso]

...at the mortuary.

WHAT?!

[Angafirith]

You mean an english speaking company with english speaking employees is starting off with english literature?!

Yrgh

[TheViciousOverWind]

"Google said it was surprised"

Nooo, it can talk, and it's got emotions... Run away!

Typical: he writes in a language nobody reads

[mveloso]

I think the editorial would have been much more powerful and effective if it was written and presented in a language that people actually read. /ducks

Ahuh

[Primotech]

"Google Book Effort Draws French Ire" But then again, what doesn't?

One way to get the French to back down...

[Aeron65432]

Dispatch a couple Germans into Paris. They'll surrender.

Hey!

[TheDredd]

No English translation of the editorial?

who cares?

[Anonymous Coward]

the french are assholes

Re:BSD meets French language and culture....

[Anonymous Coward]

C'est à dire,

"Ils sont morts, Jacques."

Does this mean....

[LordPhantom]

...that I have to start eating "freedom fries" again?

Damn that Google

[netzfreies]

Interesting that Google's close to monopoly position is correctly identified. Perhaps this will convince those Google lovers who seem to forget that Google is a rapacious corporation intent on maximising shareholder return.

They do not provide a public service - search the net by hand instead!

Re:Strange...

[That's Unpossible!]

Besides what is a French person doing complaining about things like this? The French are the biggest language snobs on the planet.

The French are the biggest language snobs on the planet.

no

[jameszhou2000]

i don't aglee with you. this is veli veli wrong. lere is no future for engilsh. the future of english is Hinglish and Chinglish. :-)

Re:Silly Jean-Noel Jeanneney

[tehshen]

l33t 15 73h 0n1Y 14n9u493 7h47 m4773r5!

Still, it's a little sad Google is a big company.

[Anonymous Coward]

If they were still small, they could do something like kill French language support for one day, replacing the franco page with a fake offer to "Upgrade your language" to either English, German or Chinese.

Oblig. Futurama reference

[Anonymous Coward]

Fansworth: And this is my Universal Translator. Unfortunately, it only translates into an incomprehensible dead language.
Cubert: Hello.
Translator: Bonjour.
Farnsworth: Crazy gibberish!
Cubert: Don't you have any worthwhile inventions?

Re:Damn French Frog

[Anonymous Coward]

How do you say hello in American-English?

With your mouth full of fried food

Re:WHAT?!

[Aeron65432]

Says someone with Voltaire in his sig. :D

Re:Strange...

[screwballicus]

Given Google's efforts in other languages, it seems strange to me that they'd not continue their project in other languages.

As far as Google's efforts in other languages go, on behalf of the Klingon community, I would like to comment that I find Google's trivial attempt to court persons of Klingon extraction [google.com] patronising and ultimately meaningless, in light of their apparent indifference to the immediate necessity for action with respect to the digitisation of the Klingon language corpus.

It is evident that Google favours and priveleges English language works over works of Klingon origin, and such bias will not go unnoted.

Re:why does france hate google?

[muddafunkinit]

Well, to start off with, the name google is just too "English." Perhaps google should rename their service "Le Goog" in France...

Re:why does france hate google?

[Momoru]

I think it may be because most searches for "Paris" are for the Hilton variety, rather then the city.

NEWSFLASH!!

[Anonymous Coward]

"Something Good Happens in the World"
or
"Something that is Completely Harmless to France"
or
"Somebody wants to Buy Something of Nazi Origin From Somebody in another country while living in non-France"
or
"Somebody wants to write 'France' on their Web Site"
or
Anything

and France responds feeling they can police the entire freakin' world with their moronic superior-acting judges or presidents of some-or-another organization. Idiots.

They just don't like Google...

[ryanvm]

Oh, they're just still miffed about that whole "french military victories [google.com]" thing. ;-)

(Yes - I know how it works.)

sheesh

[shaitand]

You would think if this guy wanted to be taken seriously by someone outside of France he would at least publish the editorial in English for god's sake.

Google Translation

[wan-fu]

How about this: since the editorial is in French, I think it's only fitting to post the Google translation of the editorial [google.com]

Re:Yrgh

[DLWormwood]

Nooo, it can talk, and it's got emotions... Run away!

Remember kiddies, don't anthropomorphize companies... they hate that.

Re:why does france hate google?

[Ohreally_factor]

I think they're still bitter about the English long bow thing.

Re:Strange...

[hawk]

>The French are the biggest language snobs on the planet.

Ahem. Posts such as this are required by law to be first in French, then in English.

:)
hawk

Re:Maybe he should start with Wikipedia

[Anonymous Coward]

This is mainly because Germans never shut up , trust me i married one

Re:Inflammatory headline is well deserved.

[hawk]

Well, of course.

That meant *how* many weeks avoiding british food?

:)
hawk

Why German?

[Anonymous Coward]

In 150 years you won't be able to find German being spoken anywhere except hell.

Obligatory

[Greg@RageNet]

Here is the google english translation of the Frenchman's comments about google making english the homogenous language of the world [google.com]

Re:Why German?

[Anonymous Coward]

To maximize the irritation to the French, of course.

Re:why does france hate google?

[JThundley]

I hear they call it a "chercher with cheese".

Re:Let's see if...

[jbarr]

Looks very interesting, BUT EVERYTHING IS IN FRENCH! How the hell am I supposed to read it?

Re:Americans already hate France

[wfberg]

And when a company owned and operated by Americans far surpasses anything the "superior" European continent can produce, it must really be gauling... er, galling.

Says the American, whose national Trade Balance is totally pwned by China. ;-)

To Quote Futurama

[dancingmad]

Professor: And this is my Universal Translator. Unfortunately, it only translates into an incomprehensible dead language.

Cubert: Hello.

Translator: Bonjour.

Professor: Crazy gibberish!

Re:This is counterproductive...

[chill]

(Side note: I'm generally on the side of the French in these little Franco-American spats. I saw a SUV that had a "Boycott France" bumper sticker today, and considered sticking a note under his wiper that said something to the effect of "Y'know, you have the French to thank for the philosophy of free speech that allows you to show that sticker without danger of your tires getting slashed...")

Now, had that SUV been riding on Michelin tires, you would have had such a wonderful opportunity...

Actually, considering they invented radial tires, it still could have been fun.

-Charles

Re:MOD PARENT UP

[Anonymous Coward]

No, but I've read Shakespeare in the original Klingon. Lack of personal hygiene, lots of yelling, everybody dies. Cool.

Re:MOD PARENT UP

[ikkonoishi]

OMG Dud! Lyten up! Eye Speil prefeclly phyn!

Re:Great idea

[ikkonoishi]

In Soviet Russia History writes old people.

Re:why does france hate google?

[grammar fascist]

Had the Academie been in place for 10,000 years, frenchmen would still be grunting.

I think you can leave off the conditional.

Re:why does france hate google?

[nutshell42]

Listening to the English rambling about the Hundred-Years War you could almost forget that they lost it =)

Re:Yrgh

[FleaPlus]

In google's case, I don't think it's so much anthropomorphizing the company as it is the algorithms behind it. Anybody have bets on how long until Google's algorithms become sentient? ;)

Lost information

[bobbuck]

If you'd have bothered to read the editorial, you'd find that "attack" is perhaps not the most appropriate word to use.

Unfortunately the opinion piece was written in French, so no one will ever know for certain.